A summary list of major historical oil spill incidents.
This summary includes the major oil spills in or near Australian waters, and several smaller offshore spills that resulted in significant legal action.
| Date | Vessel | Location | Oil amount |
| 28 November 1903 | Petriana | Port Phillip Bay, Victoria | 1,300 tonnes |
| 03 March 1970 | Oceanic Grandeur | Torres Strait, Queensland | 1,100 tonnes |
| 26 May 1974 | Sygna | Newcastle, New South Wales | 700 tonnes |
| 14 July 1975 | Princess Anne Marie | Offshore, Western Australia | 14,800 tonnes |
| 10 September 1979 | World Encouragement | Botany Bay, New South Wales | 95 tonnes |
| 29 October 1981 | Anro Asia | Bribie Island, Queensland | 100 tonnes |
| 22 January 1982 | Esso Gippsland | Port Stanvac, South Australia | unknown |
| 03 December 1987 | Nella Dan | Macquarie Island | 125 tonnes |
| 06 February 1988 | Sir Alexander Glen | Port Walcott, Western Australia | 450 tonnes |
| 20 May 1988 | Korean Star | Cape Cuvier, Western Australia | 600 tonnes |
| 28 July 1988 | Al Qurain | Portland, Victoria | 184 tonnes |
| 21 May 1990 | Arthur Phillip | Cape Otway, Victoria | unknown |
| 14 February 1991 | Sanko Harvest | Esperance, Western Australia | 700 tonnes |
| 21 July 1991 | Kirki | Western Australia | 17,280 tonnes |
| 30 August 1992 | Era | Port Bonython, South Australia | 300 tonnes |
| 10 July 1995 | Iron Baron | Hebe Reef, Tasmania | 325 tonnes |
| 28 June 1999 | Mobil Refinery | Port Stanvac, South Australia | 230 tonnes |
| 26 July 1999 | MV Torungen | Varanus Island, Western Australia | 25 tonnes |
| 03 August 1999 | Laura D’Amato | Sydney, New South Wales | 250 tonnes |
| 18 December 1999 | Sylvan Arrow | Wilson's Promontory, Victoria | less than 2 tonnes |
| 02 September 2001 | Pax Phoenix | Holbourne Island, Queensland | less than 1000 litres |
| 25 December 2002 | Pacific Quest | Border Island, Queensland | greater than 70 km slick |
| 24 January 2006 | Global Peace | Gladstone, Queensland | 25 tonnes |
| 11 March 2009 | Pacific Adventurer | Cape Moreton, Queensland | 270 tonnes |
| 21 August 2009 | Montara Wellhead oil platform | NW Australian coast | Approx 4,750 tonnes |
| 03 April 2010 | Shen Neng 1 | Great Keppel Island, Queensland | 4 tonnes |
| 09 January 2012 | MV Tycoon | Christmas Island | 102 tonnes |
Last updated: 9 November 2020